Autographic register



Aug. 10, 1943. H. J. WAECHTER 2,325,103

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed Feb. 20, 1941 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

M XTfORNEi/j Aug. 10, 1943.

H. J. WAECHTER AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed Feb. 20, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYENTOR. I

, 'r n mxms Aug. 10, 1943. H. .1. WAECHTER AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed Feb. 20, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 m BY 7/ M@? x%m? Patented Aug. 1c, 1943 UNHTED 1 2,326,108 v nor'oonarnro REGISTER Harry J. "Waechtr, Mou t Healthy, ea as signer to Paul Benninghofen and Fritz G. Diesbach, Hamilton, Ohio, as trustees I "Application Fehrnary ZO, 1e41, Seriai Ne; 379,849 7 claims. (01. 282+ 16l This invention relates to manifolding or continuous form stationery of the type utilized in autcgraphic registers and to the mechanism of these registers for feeding, aligning, anddelivering the forms. More particularly, thisin htion A is directed to improvements in manifold'i-ngs ta- .tionery which comprises a plurality of superimposed forms of the type utilized in autographic registers, and to the cooperating reed mechanisms of these registers; whereby various lengths of forms, within practical limits, may be fed and positively aligned during the feeding operation without changing the feeding mechanism to suit the various lengths of forms. In other words, by utilizing the present invention, one standard feed mechanism is provided to feed and main-,

tures inthe superimposed forms so that the'one mechanism can be employed to feed, align and dispense forms of widely varying lengths.

The present inventor has provided an autographic register which utilizes cooperating sets of discs or rolls, upper and lower, to feed and align the improved forms by virtue of their feeding relationship-to apertures inthe forms. "The rolls are manually operated by=a-crank which is fixed to oneend of the shaft carrying the lower set of rolls. The upper rolls'are in positive transmission connection with the lower rolls by gears, and are carried on a common shaft which is spring-urged to provide a peripheral contactbetween the two sets. i H I The present embodiment incorporates three sets of rolls. Two, of these engage the forms marginally. The lower rolls of these sets are provided with cutaway or strip releasing spaces for freeing the strips from their contacting pressure at a given point in their revolution. At this point, a third set of rolls, engaging the strips medially, continues the feed until the forms, ir respective of their lengths, withinpractical limits, areadvanced to a point a predetermined distance from the dispensing end. From this latter point, the forms are advanced slightly by-engagement of a second tread section on thetwo marginal rolls. Beyond this tread section, all three of the rollsare provided with cut-out sections which aligned between the two compensating rolls.

free the forms from all feeding pressureso that pins carried'on thennarginal rollsrnay. engage corresponding apertures .in the forms to align the forms and complete the feeding operation.

The improved stationery comprises :a plurality oi continuous strips of iorms derined by weakened tear-off lines. Each form includes three/apertures for cooperation with the three sets of rolls. aperture disposed in the tear-off line medially of the strip is provided to cooperate with the middle feed rolls. The-other two apertures are spaced laterally, one near B81611 side of the form on a line parallel to, and slightly back from, the tear-off line to cooperate with. the aligning pins which are carried on "the .rlower marginal ieed rolls. The side apertures may, be spaced any desired distance from the :side edges; that is, they need not be as near the sides !as shown.

The superimposed strips are fed through the .rolls in three stages; one, a major feedingoperation, in which all three sets "o-i'i'ro-lls advance the strips; two, an adjusting feeding operation ;-in which the compensating, rolls are 'employedto feed the strips; and three, a minor feeding operation wherein the strips are absolutely aligned and the forms dispensed. v

In the first stage, the strips :are*alwaysadvanoe'd a-sdistance slightly less than the shortest form to ibe used. In this stage 'al-l threeof the lower feedrolls engage the strips.

In the second stage, cutaway ;or strip releasing sections in the peripheries. of the two marginal feed rolls free the formspso that only the -com-, pensating feed roll is effective. The compensat- I ing feed rolls advance the forms untilthe middle apertures in the superimposed forms are all At this point, the feeding contact of the compensat in'g rolls' is broken since the .ro-llsycontac-t each other. through the apertmes. Thus, it may be seen that, within practical limits'any length of form may be employed; In the third stage, first,

v the forms :are engaged .by a short treadsection gage in them to .align the .forms and dispense them. r it 'The manifold pack or continuous formstaticnery disclosed inthis application is disclosed and claimed in a copending divisional application filed Dec. .30, 1942, and bearing Serial No. 470,606.1-

Other objects and certain advantages of the interlock with the crank handle.

present invention will be more fully apparent from a description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an autographic register embodying the present invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line d-d,

Figure 3, illustrating the feed rolls.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the forms showing the relative positions of the apertures;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the compensating, rolls taken on line 65, Figure 4, illustratin them just after the start of a feeding operation.

Figure 'l is a sectional view of one of the feed. rolls taken on line 1-1, Figure l, illustrating" the feed rolls in the sam relative position as the compensating'rolls shownin Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken similar to Figure; 6 in which the lower compensating roll has been rotated through the feeding part of its rotation and is now in the idling or adjusting part of its rotation.

V Figure 9 is a sectional view taken similar to Figure 7, showing one of the feed rolls in the same relative position as the compensating rolls in Figure '8 and wherein the feed rolls are not in contact with the forms and therefore are ineffective. 7

Figure 10'is a sectional view taken similar to Figures 6 and 8, showing the lower compensating roll at the completion of a rotation.

Figure 11 is a sectionalview taken similar to Figures 7 and 9, showing one of the feed rolls in the same relative position as thecompensating r0118 n'Fi ure 10 and about to complete the feed ing and alignment of the paper forms.

The-strips of forms utilized here consist of lengths of paper having forms il defined by weakened cross lines l2. An aperture is is provided centrally for each form midway ona scored 01' perforated line l2, for cooperation with the compensating rolls. Just back of the line I? in each caseare apertures it, one at each side of the strip for cooperation with the feed rolls.

Referring to the drawings, l5 indicates the casing'of an autographic register providing an interior compartment i6 fora supply of .zig zag folded manifold forms H and a storage compartmentlli for receiving in refolded condition one of the strips for record purposes. This latter compartment, however may be omitted where all strips of the pack are to be delivered from the 24 which carries the lower rolls. The crank is limited normally to a single continuous cycle of operation "by a-pair of spring-urged push pins extending from the side wall of the casing to Only on of these pins is shown at 25. When the handle is locked against rotation, the push'pin, as a stop or limit against further rotation of the handle, is exposed and is accessible to the operator. By depressing the pin, the handle is released for a successive or subsequent cycle of operation. This type of stop or its equivalent is well known in the art and further illustration and description is believed unnecessary.

The strip, feeding. mechanism includes a set of upper rolls comprising an upper feeding or translatingroll 25 at each side, and the long, upper compensating or adjusting feed 'roll 27 disposed between the rolls 2-5, The upper rolls are carried on a Common shaft 28 which is journaled in vertical slots 29 in an elongated ,journal box 38. The shaft is urged downwardly by means of coil spring 3i 3i seated under compression in the journal box above the vertical slots. A pair of seats .'-:2S2 provides for exertion of the spring pressure on the shaft. The journal box is fixed upon a cross section of a frame 33 which covers the top of the machine in a slightly elevated, position from the writing table. The frame is providedr with an opening for exposing a forin section'of the strip upon t e platen and is hinged at its forward end to the casing so that it can be swung upwardly for access to the writing table for loading the machine.

The lower rolls are substantially larger than the upper rolls and include a pair of feeding rolls 3 3-35 and an adjusting or compensating feed roll 35. The shafts upon whichthe upper and lower rolls; are carried are in positiv transmission connection through meshing pinions 3B and 31 respectively. Each roll 3 carries a pin 38 extending radially slightly be'yond the line of the periphery of the roll. *The pins. may be made integrally with the feed rolls, as shown, andare positioned on the inside of the roll in each case. The compensating feed roll 35 i mounted on the shaft 2 1 medially, between the two feed rolls.

The lower roll 35 has a single short cutaway or pressure relieving section 39. in its periphery. This portion 39 comes into effect only at the very end of therotation. The lower feed rolls 3teach have two cutaway sections. One, indicated at 40 in each instancecorresponds to the cutaway section 39 in the lower compensating roll. These pressur relieving sections-39- and come into effect to free the forms so that the pins 38-48 carried with the feed rolls can-make the final advance of the forms. The second cutaway sectionon the lower feed rolls, indicated at ll in each instance, extends over slightly less than half of the periphery of the lower feed rolls. These cutaway sections ilii are provided to release the feeding pressure on the forms so that the compensatingrolls can bring the forms into registry. A short tread sectionllZ isv provided between the two cutaway sections on each lower feed roll to start the final feed operation just before the pins 3338 come into operation;

Operation In Figures 6 and '7 the compensating'rolls' 2?, 3t and one set of the feed rolls 26, 34 respectively are shown near the start of a rotation. It will be 'noted' that botha're effective for advancing the forms. When the forms are advanced to a point where the middle aperture l3, which is ahead ofthe. marginal apertures l4, comesbetween the compensating rolls, the start of the cutaway sections iiii on the feed rollsis adjacent the upper rolls. Therefore, the pressure of the feed rolls is released from thefornis and only the compensating roll is effective. Vfhen all of the middle apertures in the. superimposed forms are inregistry, the upper and lowercompensating rolls will contact each other through theaperture's l3 and, as shown in Figure 8 of the drawings, the forms will be out of feeding- -contact with the rolls. This compensating roll also serves as a pre aligner'in that if one or more of the forms is lagging, the first form to reach the compensating rolls will stop whenits middle aperture advances out of feeding contact with the compensating rolls "and the rolls Will, therefore, contact the lagging forms and advance them until all of the aperture'srghter and the compensating rolls contact-each other through them; I Y

The rotation of the rolls after the compensating interval continues without feeding the forms until the tread section's 42-42 onthe lowerfeed rolls come around to contact the forms. This stage is shown in Figure ll of the drawings. The short trea'd sections 42 i2 advance the forms slightly to bring the marginalapertures M,- M forward to a position wherein the pins (til-38 enter them. As 'soon as the formsreach the point wherein the pins are established i11.tb marginal apertures, the cut-out sections 39 and ifi-$il in the peripheries of all three lowe'r rolls come into effect to release all pressure on the forms. Therefore, the final advance is made by the pins to bring the forms into absoluteregistry.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an autographic register, a platen over which superimposed continuous strips of paper forms are adapted to be moved, sets of rolls engaging the strips therebetween, said strips ment when the apertures are reached, and am otherset including a roll providing a tread surface of much shorter length than the tread surface of the first-named roll, but starting at the same point on the periphery of the last-named roll as the tread surface starts on the periphery of the first-named roll, said tread surface of said second-named roll determining the amount of feed of the strips, and means associated with the second-named roll, engageable in apertures in the strips for starting the feed of the strips just prior to the time that the respective tread surfaces engage the strips.

3. In an autographic register, a platen over which continuous strips of sales forms are adapted to be fed, sets of feed rolls adapted to engage" the continuous strips therebetween for feeding the strips, one roll of one of said sets of feedrolls' having a substantially continuous tread surface extending entirely around its periphery with the exception of a short clearance portion, and another set including a roll providing a tread surface of much; shorter length than the tread including three apertures in each form there-h of, one located centrally of the strips and slightly ahead of the other two, and the other two located adjacent the respective edge margins of the strips, certain ofisaid sets of feed rolls engaging the strips in alignment with the apertures along the edge margins of the strips,

one roll of each of said last-named sets ineluding a periphery having a tread portion, extending part of the distance around the roll, and a relieved portion, a pin carried by said latter roll, projecting radially from the roll and adapted to engage the apertures just prior to the engagement of the tread portion of the roll therewith, and another set of said feed rolls constituting compensating rolls located centrally of the machine, said rolls engaging the strips in alignment with the central apertures, one of said compensating rolls including a treadportion and a relieved portion, said tread portion extending substantially entirely around the roll and starting at a point corresponding to the point at which the tread portions start on the first-namedfeed rolls whereby after the first-named feed rolls have advanced the strips a certain distance, the compensating roll continues to engage the strips surface of the first-named roll, said tread surfaces starting atthe same point'on the related peripheries of'the respective rolls, and means on said rolls for starting the feed of the strips just prior to the time that the respective tread surfaces engage the strips.

4. In an autographic register, a platen over which continuous strips of sales forms are adapted to be fed, each of saidsales forms including feeding and aligning apertures, one of said apertures being located centrally of the strips and the others located adjacent the side edges of the strips butspaced back from the first-named aperture, feeding rolls between and by which said strips are adapted to be fed, each of the sets of feed rolls including one roll havin a tread portion starting at the same point as the others, that feeding roll disposed in alignment with the central apertures having its tread portion extending substantially entirely around its periphery with the exception of a short clearance and constituting a compenand feeds them until the central apertures are disposed between the compensating rolls'and the rolls engage through the apertures for purposes of alignment. 7

2. In an autographic register, a platen over which continuous strips of sales forms are 7 adapted-to be fed, sets of feed rolls adapted to engage the continuous strips therebetween for feeding the strips, one roll of one of said sets of feed rolls having a substantially continuous tread surface extending entirely around its periphery with the exception of a short clearance portion, said tread surface adapted to register with apertures in the strips for idle movesating roll, the other rolls, having their tread surfaces terminating considerably short of the ter mination of the tread surface of the compensating roll, said other rolls including short tread portions disposed just in front of, but spaced from the main tread portions, and starting pins projecting radially from said ther rolls adjacent the clearance between the short tread portions and the main tread portions, whereby the compensating roll will continue to feed the strips after the ends of the tread portions of saidother rolls are reached and until the centralapertures of the strips are disposed between the compensating rolls and feeding contact ceases, whereuponthe feed will be continued for an aligning period when the short tread portions of said other rolls engage the strips and the pins engage in the apertures.

5. In an autographic register, a platen over which super-imposed continuous strips of sales forms are adapted to be fed, sets of rolls for feeding said strips therebetween, all of said rolls providing tread surfaces beginning at the same points on their peripheries forfeeding the strips inthefirst stage of feed of a set of forms, at least one of said tread surfaces being shorter than another and of a length lessthan required to feed the shortest sales form completely, said strips inwhich continuous strips of sales forms are adapted to be fed, said sales forms including feeding and aligning-apertures, oneof said apertures being located centrally of the strips and th others located adjacent the side edges orthe strips but spaced back from the first-named aperture, feeding rolls between and by which said strips are adapted to be fed, each of the sets of feed rolls ineluding one roll having a tread portion starting at, the same point as the corresponding rolls of thev .others, that feed roll disposed for registry with the central aperture having its tread portion extending substantially entirely around its periphery with the exception of a short clearance, the other rolls having their tread surfaces terminating considerablyshort of the termination of the tread surface of the central roll, and starting pins projecting radially from the said other rolls just in front of their tread portions, whereby the central, roll will continue to feedthe strips after the ends of the tread portions of said other rolls are reached until the central apertures-of the strips are disposed between the rolls of the central set of rolls and feeding contact ceases between alignment with the advanced aperture including a roll havinga tread portion extending substantially entirely around the same with the exception of a short recessed portion, sets of rolls disposed in alignment with the other apertures and I including a tread portion of considerably less length than the tread portion of the first-named roll, but starting at the same relative point on the roll, a short tread portion on the last-named roll disposed ahead of and spaced from the main tread portion, whereby after the first-named set of rolls feeds the strips to bring the advanced aperture between the rolls where the rolls idle,

' the short tread portion of the second roll will engage the strips to feed the strips to bring the other apertures into position between the second named rolls.

i HARRY J. WAECHTER. 

